ALGEBRA VOCABULARY

VARIABLE A LETTER OR SYMBOL USED TO REPRESENT AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY Example: x + 2 variable

SUM AN ADDITION PROBLEM Examples: 13 + 3 or y + 45

DIFFERENCE A SUBTRACTION PROBLEM Examples: 25 – 9 or 75 – m

PRODUCT A MULTIPLICATION PROBLEM Examples: 6(21) or 4x

FACTORS QUANTITIES BEING MULTIPLIED Examples:

QUOTIENT A DIVISION PROBLEM Examples: Or

POWER THIS POWER IS READ: “X TO THE FOURTH POWER” EXPONENT BASE

EVALUATE To evaluate an expression means to find its VALUE

A MATHEMATICAL SENTENCE THAT HAS EQUATION A MATHEMATICAL SENTENCE THAT HAS AN EQUAL SIGN. Example: x + 4 = 10

INEQUALITY AN OPEN SENTENCE THAT HAS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING SYMBOLS: > Greater than < Less than ≥ Greater than or equal to ≤ Less than or equal to Example: 6 – x > 2

TERM A NUMBER, A VARIABLE, OR A PRODUCT OR QUOTIENT OF NUMBERS AND VARIABLES (terms are usually separated by addition and subtraction) Examples: n, 5xy, 20, ab2, How many terms are in this expression? 3x + 5y – 6

LIKE TERMS Terms that contain the same variables, with corresponding variables having the same power. Examples: Unlike Terms Unlike Terms Like Terms

COEFFICIENT The numerical factor of a term. Example: (The number in front of the variable) Example: Coefficients

Expression Any combination of numbers and variables NO EQUAL SIGN! An expression cannot be solved!

Writing Expressions Write an algebraic expression for each verbal expression: The sum of 36 and x The product of 17 and t One half the square of x 36 + x 17t ½x²

Writing Expressions 4) The difference between 7 and t The sum of x and 7, squared The square root of m The quotient of x and y 7 - t (x + 7)² x ÷ y

Writing Expressions 6 more than x is no less than 25. A number decreased by 8 is no more than 17 The sum of a number squared and 9 is less than 17 x + 6 ≥ 25 n - 8 ≤ 17 x² + 9 < 17